Any discussion of the related art throughout this specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.
Nanotube fabric layers (or films) are used within a plurality of semiconductor devices. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/835,856 to Bertin et al. teaches methods of using nanotube fabric layers to realize nonvolatile devices such as, but not limited to, block switches, programmable resistive materials, and programmable logic devices.
As described by Bertin et al., a volume of nanotube fabric can be placed into at least two nonvolatile resistive states by passing electric currents through said fabric. These nonvolatile resistive states can be used to create, for example, but not limited to, switch elements which behave as nonvolatile memory cells (wherein, typically, two nominal resistive states are used), nonvolatile variable resistor dividers for precision voltage supplies (wherein, typically, a pair of nanotube devices, each with a plurality of nominal nonvolatile resistive states, are used), and nonvolatile programmable logic devices (wherein, typically, multiple nonvolatile nanotube switch elements are used).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,335,395 to Ward et al. describes methods of applying a nanotube fabric layer on a substrate. Said methods include spin coating (wherein a solution of nanotubes is deposited on a substrate which is then spun to evenly distribute said solution across the surface of said substrate), spray coating (wherein a plurality of nanotube are suspended within an aerosol solution which is then disbursed over a substrate), and in situ growth of nanotube fabric (wherein a thin catalyst layer is first deposited over a substrate and then used to form nanotubes). Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,375,369 to Sen et al. teaches a nanotube solution which is well suited for forming a nanotube fabric layer over a substrate layer via a spin coating process.
Studies for improved nanotube fabric layer and methods for forming the same are continuing.